Classical Music Trivia Question and Answers
1.
How many sharps are there in the key of C major?
Answer:
0
2.
Frederic Chopin wrote mainly for what instrument?
Answer:
Piano
3.
What is the relative minor key signature for C major?
Answer:
A
4.
The saxophone belongs to which instrument family?
Answer:
Woodwind
5.
What does the musical term "legato" tell a musician in terms of how to play?
Answer:
Smoothly With Connected Notes
6.
The glockenspiel belongs to which family of instruments?
Answer:
Percussion
7.
Who invented the saxophone family?
Answer:
Adolfe Sax
8.
Musical composer, John Philip Sousa (1854-1932), was from which country?
Answer:
United States
9.
Renaissance era musical composer, Thomas Tomkins (1572-1656), was from which country?
Answer:
United Kingdom
10.
From which country was romantic era musical composer Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)?
Answer:
Italy
11.
In music, what is a "triad"?
Answer:
Chord Made Of Three Notes
12.
What modern composer wrote music for "Superman", "Indiana Jones" and the 2000 Olympics?
Answer:
John Williams
13.
In what family of instruments is the bassoon?
Answer:
Woodwind
14.
What family of instruments does the French horn come from?
Answer:
Brass
15.
On the bagpipe, what pipe plays the same low note while the other pipes play the melody?
Answer:
The Drone
16.
What is the difference between a bugle and a trumpet?
Answer:
Bugles Have No Valves
17.
What is played while seated, placing it on the ground between the legs and using a bow or plucking?
Answer:
Cello
18.
What is an example of a double-reed instrument?
Answer:
Bassoon
19.
Which family of instruments would the musical instruction "Arco" be addressing?
Answer:
String
20.
What is the nickname of "Symphony No. 9" by Dvorak?
Answer:
The New World
21.
What is the historic first associated with Beethoven's "9th Symphony"?
Answer:
Uses Chorus And Soloists
22.
During which period did Johann Sebastian Bach compose his music?
Answer:
Baroque
23.
Who wrote the "Jupiter" symphony?
Answer:
Mozart
24.
Where is the prestigious Royal College of Music located?
Answer:
England
25.
A piece is conventionally no longer considered chamber music if there are more than how many players?
Answer:
Ten
26.
Who wrote "Madam Butterfly"?
Answer:
Puccini
27.
A male who sings the female alto part in a choral work or opera is called what?
Answer:
Countertenor
28.
If your program says that something will be "Buffa" or "Buffo" what should you expect?
Answer:
Comedy
29.
The composer of "Water Music" by Handel, also wrote what similar piece?
Answer:
Fireworks Music
30.
Romantic-era composers Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann are often associated with what form?
Answer:
Song Cycle
31.
The popular "Pictures at an Exhibition" is by which composer?
Answer:
Mussorgsky
32.
What choral work by Gabriel Faure is his best known?
Answer:
Requiem
33.
A "String Trio" would normally feature what instruments?
Answer:
Violin, Viola, Cello
34.
What opera features the characters Scarpia, Spoletta, and Mario?
Answer:
Tosca
35.
What is the first name of Russian composer Mussorgsky?
Answer:
Modest
36.
What composer wrote the Brandenburg Concertos?
Answer:
Bach
37.
"The Rite Of Spring" is what?
Answer:
A Modern Ballet
38.
Which Handel oratorio includes the tenor aria "Every Valley Shall Be Exalted" and "Hallelujah" chorus?
Answer:
Messiah
39.
What composer's "Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" is often used as Halloween music?
Answer:
Bach
40.
What caused the death of French composer Jean-Baptiste Lully?
Answer:
He Put A Baton Through His Foot
41.
Which opera does the courtesan Violetta die of consumption before Alfredo comes back to her?
Answer:
La Traviata
42.
It is bad etiquette at a classical concert to do what in between movements of a symphony?
Answer:
Applaud
43.
Elizabeth Schwarzkopf is known for what?
Answer:
Singing
44.
Who wrote the work nicknamed the "Italian Symphony"?
Answer:
Mendelssohn
45.
Papageno and Papagena are characters in which work by Mozart?
Answer:
The Magic Flute
46.
Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" is an example of what historical period of music?
Answer:
Baroque
47.
What is traditional dress for a female orchestra member?
Answer:
All Black
48.
A piece titled "Bagatelle" is likely to be what?
Answer:
Light And Short
49.
Gregorian Chant is a form originally composed for what context?
Answer:
Church Services
50.
Jean Pierre Rampal is known for playing what instrument?
Answer:
Flute
51.
To what musical era does George Frederich Handel belong?
Answer:
Baroque
52.
A piece titled "Courante" is likely to be what?
Answer:
Quick And Lively
53.
Verbal narrative or conversational parts in an oratorio or opera are usually done in what style?
Answer:
Recitative
54.
Gustav Holst's best known work is called what?
Answer:
The Planets
55.
Who composed both "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks" and "Electra"?
Answer:
Richard Strauss
56.
A piece scored for flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, and horn would likely be called what?
Answer:
Woodwind Quintet
57.
In an orchestra, on which side of the conductor does the violin section sit onstage?
Answer:
Left
58.
Carl Orff's "O Fortuna" comes from what work?
Answer:
Carmina Burana
59.
What country was composer Manuel de Falla from?
Answer:
Spain
60.
The name "Colin Davis" is associated with what musical field?
Answer:
Conducting
61.
What type of music is performed at La Scala in Italy?
Answer:
Opera
62.
What was the early composer Monteverdi's first name?
Answer:
Claudio
63.
A concert where an orchestra plays lighter and more accessible works is often called what?
Answer:
Pops
64.
Which composer went deaf at the end of his life?
Answer:
Beethoven
65.
What are "lieder"?
Answer:
German Art Songs
66.
Who wrote the music for the ballets "Swan Lake" and "The Nutcracker"?
Answer:
Tchaikovsky
67.
Composer Piotr Tchaikovsky was from which country?
Answer:
Russia
68.
What job was Johann Sebastian Bach appointed to in Leipzig in 1723?
Answer:
Music Director
69.
What instrument does Yo-Yo Ma play?
Answer:
Cello
70.
Who wrote the choral work "Messiah"?
Answer:
Handel
71.
Who composed the opera "Carmen"?
Answer:
Bizet
72.
Whose 6th symphony is called "Pastoral"?
Answer:
Beethoven
73.
Who wrote the popular composition "Bolero"?
Answer:
Ravel
74.
Maria Callas was known for her work in what classical genre?
Answer:
Opera
75.
Which of the following is not an operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan?
Answer:
Bolero
76.
Sir Arthur Sullivan is best known for working with which person?
Answer:
W. S. Gilbert
77.
The early television series "Young Person's Concerts" was introduced by what composer?
Answer:
Bernstein
78.
What work did Mozart leave unfinished on his deathbed?
Answer:
Requiem
79.
What is the word for the author of an opera's text?
Answer:
Librettist
80.
"Dido and Aeneas" is an opera by whom?
Answer:
Purcell
81.
The second highest voice in traditional four-part choral music is called what?
Answer:
Alto
82.
How many players are there in an octet?
Answer:
Eight
83.
Monteverdi was the first great composer in which genre?
Answer:
Opera
84.
The "Ode to Joy" concludes which Beethoven symphony?
Answer:
9
85.
Tippett, Britten, Elgar, and Stanford are all composers from what country?
Answer:
Great Britain
86.
Who wrote a symphony nicknamed "The Surprise Symphony"?
Answer:
Haydn
87.
St. Mark's Cathedral in Venice is associated with which of these composers?
Answer:
Monteverdi
88.
Who wrote the "Ring Cycle"?
Answer:
Wagner
89.
Which composer toured Europe as a child prodigy, playing to the royal families of France and England?
Answer:
Mozart
90.
When an opera singer embellishes the melody line of an aria the second time around, what is it called?
Answer:
Ornamentation
91.
The symphony orchestra of which U.S. city is known for a huge 4th of July celebration with fireworks?
Answer:
Boston
92.
What is Lehar's popular operetta whose characters include Anna, Camille, and Baron Zeta?
Answer:
The Merry Widow
93.
What do The Rolling Stones want painted black in "Paint It Black"?
Answer:
A Red Door
94.
Ludwig Van Beethoven suffered from what disease, which eventually caused his deafness?
Answer:
Plumbism (Lead Poisoning)
95.
Puccini wrote what famous opera?
Answer:
La Boheme
96.
Robert Schumann married what other famous composer and pianist?
Answer:
Clara Wiek
97.
In what era did Franz Schubert compose his music?
Answer:
Romantic
98.
Medieval era musical composer John Dunstable was from which country?
Answer:
United Kingdom
99.
From which country was classic era musical composer William Billings (1746-1800)?
Answer:
United States
100.
Classic era musical composer Fernando Sor was from which country?
Answer:
Spain
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